there is something interesting I found out yesterday. I do not know the background but I noticed that Zdenek Stybar (cyclocross world champion) rides SPECIALIZED frame made of aluminium.The frame is custom geometry, which is probably the reason for aluminium..... I am just surprised that one of the biggest company in the business is not able to provide a carbon fiber frameset to the World champion! All of the previous frame buliders were able to give Stybar a carbon fiber frameset.....

All of the previous frame buliders were able to give Stybar a carbon fiber frameset.....

I think prior to QuickStep changing from Merx to Specialized, Stybar had been riding Ridley X-Night's rebadged in Merx colors.

This is how it went:Merckx cycles was informed in January that Stybar signed with Quick Step. They didn't have a crossbike in their range so they started developing one. At the beginning of the season Stybar rode a rebadged Ridley X-Night. In Ruddervoorde (Oct. 9) the new Merckx CMX frame was ready so Stybar used it. During the Koppenbergcross (Nov. 1) he switched back to the rebadged Ridleys which he used till the end of December. In January he started with the Specialized for the first time.Nice season for the mechanics

The Specialized "Bunny Hopper" is indeed aluminium. This makes perfect sense, Specialized don't have a carbon crossbike in their range. Things were different in 2007. Quick Step changed from Time to Specialized and Tom Boonen had back problems because he didn't fit the geometry of the Specialized carbon bikes. After weeks of struggling Boonen used a custom-made aluminium Specialized in 'Dwars door Vlaanderen' and won the race. He even thanked the bike when he crossed the finish line:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u8HLuyQ1Zo

Boonen's custom "Specialized" that he subsequently went on to win Paris-Roubaix was built by Dario Pegoretti - last time I saw it, it was in the Ronde van Vlaanderen museum in Oudenaard. I expect there'll be few complaints from Stybar if he's riding a Peg?

Specialized had an S-works Crux carbon last season, but it was simply a relabeled Tricross carbon. The Tricross is a great bike, but has really long chainstays and not really idea for CX racing. There isn't a carbon Crux in the lineup (yet), so he gets an aluminum bike. They are still quite nice. I have two of the current aluminum crux frames, nice and stiff, tapered steerer, BB30. Todd Wells won the US camps on one last year.

Boonen's custom "Specialized" that he subsequently went on to win Paris-Roubaix was built by Dario Pegoretti - last time I saw it, it was in the Ronde van Vlaanderen museum in Oudenaard. I expect there'll be few complaints from Stybar if he's riding a Peg?

There was one built by Dario, but there was also another one built by Specialized, it has been covered many times. The bike Stybar is on is very much in the style of a Crux so I doubt that Dario built it. Todd Wells is also on a custom sized Crux.

_________________"Step forward the climber and all those who worship at the altar of lightness" - R. Millar

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum